‘Zec should postpone Zimbabwe polls or face chaos’

AN independent election monitoring watchdog, the Elections Resources Centre (ERC), has called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) demanding a poll delay to prevent chaos and instability emanating from shambolic preparations.

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The ERC said the electoral body was unprepared to conduct a credible election, citing the special voting process that was characterised by chaos, particularly lack of ballot papers, resulting in thousands of police officers failing to cast their votes.

ERC said Zec’s unpreparedness was a security threat that could “spawn instability in the country and reverse all the gains that Zimbabwe stands to benefit from the conduct of a free and fair election”.

“If Zec goes ahead to press for a July 31 election when all signs point to the fact that it is ill-prepared to conduct a credible election, there is a likelihood that the agitation and chaos that obtained during the special voting process where police details almost turned riotous, will be replicated on a bigger scale on the actual polling day as eligible voters will not accept being denied the right the vote,” ERC said in a statement yesterday titled Why Zec Must Seek Poll Postponement.

Zec said that it was ready to conduct the harmonised elections as long as funding was availed.

However, ERC said Zec’s unpreparedness started showing a long time ago, citing the chaotic voter registration exercise and failure to release the voters’ roll on time.

“Zec’s inability to roll out processes that will lead to a free and fair election is in itself a violation of its constitutional mandate, which requires Zec to conduct free and fair elections.

“An incomprehensive voter registration exercise compounded by a contested voters’ roll which remains shrouded in secrecy and worsened by the chaos which characterised the just-ended special voting exercise is indicative of the possibility of a dispute-riddled election,” ERC noted.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn), which observed the special voting process for uniformed forces on Sunday and Monday, said it noted that the Zec was unprepared for the vote. Zesn said there was urgent need for Zec to set up proper logistical provisions that ensured the smooth running of the impending harmonised elections.

The network said its observers had reported a litany of logistical challenges countrywide at all polling centres characterised by, among other things, late opening of polling stations, shortage of sensitive voting materials such as indelible ink, Zec stamps, approved voters’ lists and ballot papers.

“Zesn notes that the process continues to be disorganised, an indication that Zec was unprepared to conduct the special voting process,” reads the statement.

Zesn said at most polling stations in Masvingo, Seke, Macheke, Zvemukonde in Midlands province and Beitbridge, voting started late and proceeded into the night but many still failed to vote.

The MDC formations have also expressed fears of a chaotic July 31 election following the special voting exercise that saw police officers in some parts of the country almost rioting after failing to cast their ballots.

President Robert Mugabe has, however, declared that the July 31 election will never be postponed.

33 Responses to ‘Zec should postpone Zimbabwe polls or face chaos’

My countryman, politics has been the evil that devoured our livelihoods. I cry daily to see the biased reporting in the various press and the blatant unworkable plans articulated by political parties. Never mind the hatred peddled by people in the highest offices.
Kugara nhaka huona dzevamwe. China and U.S. are good examples of how politics shape nations. China more close to us because it was recently in our situation of being a third world and a colony. They took sides and participated in the cold war, what that did was to stunt their growth and ushered untold poverty. All their leaders talked of was death with capitalism, death with the West, death with America etc. They forgot about the man on the street, he has never been to the West he doesn’t know where America was but he suffered from that focus on foreign enemies.
Following the fall of Russia and end of cold war, the Chinese realised that all the noise they were making in support of the Eastern bloc had benefited other countries economically at their expense. The growth of Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and even their hometown Hong Kong are examples of Chinese missed opportunities.
The beauty of the Chinese is that they had their own form of democracy, one party but various leaders and a strong Central Committee which tolerated no nonsense. They quickly identified a Moses who could change policy to a moderate capitalism, invite investment and improve relationships with the whole world. What did we see after this? growth and a strong China which can now challenge the US.
Lesson from this is that, if you are poor you have no bargaining power. Mwari vakatipa wealth, but we need to enhance it, create work and improve lives. Let’s change focus from foreign but look more to our people. Let’s give them liberties like no other, let’s involve them in economic decisions and opportunities. Let’s heal our nation, Gukurahundi issue needs to be dealt with maturely. We still have people voting on tribal lines because of these past mistakes.
Muvengi mukuru ndisu isusu, not the West of SADC. If we swallow pride: Bob and Morgan sit together and chat an amicable policy which incorporate nationalistic values and the MDC liberal views; we will certainly create a Zimbabwe we want. If that is achieved, there will never be any foreign threat. The existence of foreign meddling is because they have seen that we do not have a unifying cause. Don’t force one sided national cause, listen to both sides and create it. If we use results of previous election the ratio is almost 50:50 liberals and nationalists. That presence the opportunity to craft a fused Zimbabwe policy with both sides.
I cry my beloved country.

With the exact number of those who voted still unknown., somebody is busy markng xs on thousand of Special vote ballots as we speak.
Such information was suppose to be announced hours after the Specail Vote but now…..someone is thriving in the chaos… Asazi

PATRIOT what a point you have I wish we had more wise Zimbabweans like you and I jope the politicians you pointed out will read your rich comment its very true kugara nhaka huona dzavamwe. We are own enemies im sorry to say particularly ZANU PF they always shoot themselves in the foot and put blame of their failures on other people. Its always the same old retoric nothing new to give to the people besides taking them for fools. Even the Chinese communist party sees the need for change of leadership “internal cleansing” kuzvigezesa so that new ideas can be brought in but as for our brother who are holding the country hostage the see it feet not bring in new leader with new idea and new energy new experiences and new vision which is people focused. Yes our loss is gain to our neighbours in SADC just like what PATRIOT points out.

The war we are now fighting is the ecomomic war aim at growth, self sustainance, getting meaningful investment, employment creation etc not looting companies, diamonds and sharing between the ZANU PF selected few. Mr Mugabe and ZANU PF its time to open eyes and mature you can’t exist in isolation and in dreamland where yous are at present, we want free and fair elections

He wants to be called Mugabe
When he hates Zimbabwe
His actual name is Matibhiri
And he thought rocks hold pure dhiziri
He would rather be in Singapore
Than get treatment from home woo
He rushes to Lesotho
For parties too
But deep down he knows

Zec should consider a two day election and a postponment of the elections to the 14th &15th of August as advised by SADC to allow it to be logistically prepared for acredible election.As things stand,Zec not prepared to hold the election.Zec should approach the concort for this.

people voted for mdc-t councillors and they and there was cholera, poteholes, heap of rubbish all over and no water if any it was sewage water… right failed. and people voted for mdc-t MPs Roads, schools and so amny things deteriorated….. right failed …. Tsvangirayi prime minister , every women was screwed back and front….busy enjoying sex right failed. so what more do you expect from these people??? Vote Zanu pf

Chombo your minister is the one who was in charge of the councillors what did he do except buying houses and land at give away prices. If you really want people to vote for your party instead of discrediting other parties show us what you have to offer and the good things you have done then we will vote for your party. Remember there was GNU for the past years and the sucess and failure of government for the period under review can not be attributed to a single party. “Every women was screwed back and front…..” These are just emotional statements made out of hatred otherwise the Khaya Moyos, Mushowes are destroying the future of our sisters taking advantage of the presidential scholarship to sleep around with every student. 33 years in power can something new come from ZANU PF. Give us the new things so that we can vote for you. Yes Bhora mugedhi but I am afraid there will be a lot of own goals. We want development of our country and are tired of hate speech and propaganda as if the general populace are robbots which do not think.

Nana Jojo what the Patriot says is quickly shot down. It is because of these shit heads calling themselves Jojos who take us backwards. he does not know that we continued fighting a wrong war ending up in this mess. Was it not a creation of zanupf when its councils kept running down the infrastructire such that when MDc took over there was nothing to run with Chombo stopping them from borrowing? We all know that saka Jojo imbondovhiya mbudzi wozotisheedza tapedza.

Patriot you are right. Other countries realised that you won’t develop by picking up unnecessary wars with the big guys. Now if we have a look at China the are busy building their country and because they know Africa is not in a hurry they come for resources not to empower the countries Who has ever seen a chinese manufacturing plant anywhere in Africa, but go to RSA there is BMW, the is Toyota, There is Ford, VW, Mercedes Benz because those guys would come into your country and invest use the resources you have and help you build your country. Of course chi bush mentality is with us that we always want t show who is big lio or impala that is why workers in RSA are poor. On my facebook page I posted a response on why RSA workers seem poor but are better off than us here. It si us who go there from nothing and accept little taking ver their jobs hence xenophobia. When they want to do industrial action to demand what is due to them Zimbabweans as usually stilthly go to work for the peanuts. Hope Jojo I have put some brains in your brawn.
Now does ZEC have the power to change election dates, let us now ask the Madhukus, the Jonathan Moyos, the Chaibvas. Why have I picked on these idiots because they make too much noise.

Pasina kutuka mazanu muchine chiiko to tell people,u’ve been campaigning from day 1 of the inclusive govt giving no space to your partners,learn from China as espoused by that blessed Zimbo who gave a long and insightful advise above,fools dont learn!

IT shows signs of incapabilities. i wonder if these ZEC guys are going to count and release results on stipulated time. i think casting votes is easier than counting them. so if they cant conduct the first step of a mock voting process, how then can they conduct the national one? ZEC you wasting our time.

“If Zec goes ahead to press for a July 31 election when all signs point to the fact that it is ill-prepared to conduct a credible election, there is a likelihood that the agitation and chaos that obtained during the special voting process where police details almost turned riotous, will be replicated on a bigger scale on the actual polling day as eligible voters will not accept being denied the right the vote,”

Opinions of an unknown ‘independent’ group are hardly reflective of the national sentiment. People want to get on with it and vote for their choice of leaders and government. As I predicted, the MDC T endgame is boycott; the closer we get to the poll date the louder the whinging voices!

fuza daddy tee wa tsvangirayi, madiro aunoita tsvangirayi , think you he screwed your wife. Right the being tsvangirayi called for sanctions in order for us to starve and vote for him , alas not this time . you bootlickers vote for him. we can not experiment with human life. kuda kuedza kuti tsvangirayi anoita here nekumuvhotera, silly, will vote for President R.G Mugabe. Thats it. chematama nil nil ….

With the exact number of those who voted still unknown., somebody is busy markng xs on thousand of Special vote ballots as we speak.
Such information was suppose to be announced hours after the Specail Vote but now…..someone is thriving in the chaos… Asazi

With the exact number of those who voted still unknown., somebody is busy markng xs on thousand of Special vote ballots as we speak.
Such information was suppose to be announced hours after the Specail Vote but now…..someone is thriving in the chaos… Asazi.

I smell something fishy here. This is rigging. I believe ZEC printed and dispatched the right number of ballot papers…..but to selected polling stations to be used by ” security officers” so that come 31 real securityu personell will vote. Suppose 50 000 fake security personel vote on special voting days in the process denying genuine security personell…..then come 31 the police officers are deployed elsewher and cannot vote kkkkkkkk

I am not surprised Rita Munemo Makarawu (Macarão in portuguese) is being used by zanupf. She grew up in my hood Bvukaz and she was a bharanzi. Only people who dont know her would be surprised that she is such an idiot, I mean she is a lawyer right, but not streetwise. She is in the centre of chaos, the eye of a storm. If she is independent of zanupf manipulation she would clarify a lot of issues without needing the recourse of the courts. As a lawyer who failed in private practice like most of the judges and the rest of the freeloaders like Masimirembwa and Chinamasa you would expect nothing from them.

Again, insults without substance, nothing to contribute and unable to engage intellectually to an intellectual argument; pathetic! You lot do it all the time, you never disappoint. Take a leaf from Falcon, he is one with a brain and balls; not the rest of ‘yous’..

iwe scott tibvire apa, wakambopiwa even 1 metre ye land from land reform or $1 chairo from stolen diamonds here? vanoita maromo akakura vachisupporter zanu don’t have anything they benefited from it in the first place